Skulduggery Pleasent: Love and Fire
by RiverLegend
Summary: Hey guys, first Skulduggery. P FF, This is after Dark Days but everyone knows about Vile. After a raid on Ghastly's shop, Skulduggery is kidnapped. He is tortured and Vile is forced out. After almost destroying Dublin it is up to Tanith, Ghastly, Val, China and the whole Sanctuary to stop him. P.S - Rated T for Chindiggery, Ghanith, Fletchyrie and swearing.
1. China's Library

Valkyrie sat up and found herself in Skulduggery's house. She shot up and groaned in pain, looking down she saw bandages wrapped around her ribs. Confused, she got out of the bed and put on her tailor-made protective clothing. She didn't bother with shoes because it was a day off from the Sanctuary and she wasn't going anywhere. Normally she would be at home with her family but since she had the reflection and Skulduggery was still recovering from being in the realm of the Faceless Ones, Valkyrie thought he might need some help getting around, althought his planet sized ego would never allow him to admit it. Striding into the living room she saw Skulduggery sat in his chair by the window in his medative state. She smiled and flumped onto the sofa. Tilting her head she stared at Skulduggery. She gasped and shot up onto her feet. Running over to him, she saw deep grooves cut into his skull. How had she never seen that? She shook him. No movement. She shook him again. Still nothing. Frowning, she ran her finger along one of the deep ridges in the bone. Reilizing that he was fast 'asleep' she undid a few buttons of his shirt. God knows what China or Skulduggery might think if they saw me now. She thought. With a few searches she found his facade tattoos. Valkyrie held out her fingers and applied pressure and soon a face whizzed up onto Skulduggery head. China had managed to make a few additional features like the face he wore was the same from when he was alive. Short jet-black hair, deep emerald green eyes and quite pale skin. Raising an eyebrow she searched through his hair until she found the ridge again but it hadn't effected his human look. His head was completly smooth.  
"Just what are you doing?" Valkyrie jumped as Skulduggery's velvety voice told her she was awake. Looking down she saw his deep green eyes staring at her. Skulduggery tried to raise an eyebrow. Valkyrie tried not to laugh. It was something he hadn't quite got hold of yet and it really made her laugh watching him try. She stepped back as Skulduggery touched the tattoos again and the face retreated revealing his bony skull.  
"You made me jump."  
"You were searching through my hair. I don't have head mice or fleas."  
"Lice and I don't think you can even get fleas."  
"Well, I can now. I am a living skeleton with a smashing fashion sense. Your argument is completly invalid."  
"Have you finished talking nonsense?"  
"I haven't talked nonsense for a while. I miss it. There was no-one over there worth talking to. If I tried talking turnt to torture." He sighed. "Back to the original point what were you doing in my hair if not to search for fleas."  
"I was talking about these." Valkyrie touched the grooves again. Skulduggery got up and walked over to the mirror set above the fire. Tilting his head down and lifting up his gloved hand he prodded his skull.  
"To be honest Valkyrie, I don't know what they are or how I got them. And ,if you don't mind, I might go and see a certain lady about these. They could be dangerous."  
"I didn't know Tanith did medical duties."  
"Not Tanith."  
"Then there is only one other person and I didn't even know she was still alive after what happened."  
Skulduggery covered his face with a hand.  
"It's China you twit." He laughed. Valkrie just stared at him.  
"What?" He asked innocently.  
"You spend an awful lot of time with her, you know." She looked at him and raised an eyebrow suggestivly.  
"No. Me and China, well..."  
"Your more than friends even Tanith knows that much and she's got the mental age of a four year old."  
Skulduggery sighed again. "Well, maybe China and I are more then friends. Is that okay with you?" He asked her seriously.  
"What? Oh, yes of course. Me and Tanith have been trying to get you a girlfriend for ages, I just wouldn't think you would turn to China."  
"China can be a very sophisticated lady. She's good at a lot of things that help me get from day to day without falling apart."  
"I thought magic kept you together?" Valkyrie had an idea of what he might of meant but does the great Skulduggery Pleasent think that way.  
"It does. I didn't mean that." Valkyrie's jaw almost dropped. Had he just said that?!  
Skulduggery laughed again. "Come on, I'll get a certain Teleporter to take us there."  
After texting him, Fletcher turnt up on Cementary Road in five minuites.  
"Where we off to?" He asked.  
"China's Library." Valkyrie replied.  
"Why?"  
"Skulduggery wants to see her. I think they are you know."  
"A couple?!"  
"Yeah, something like that." She winked and kissed his cheek. Skulduggery walked out of the house in his usual dark navy suit, crisp white shirt, blue tie and navy hat with a blue ribbon wrapped around the base.  
"Shall we be off?" Fletcher nodded and grabbed Valkyrie's hand. She held onto Skulduggery and he held onto his ribs. Teleporting hadn't settled well with his broken ribs but it was the quickest way to get places. They appeared at China's door. Striding forward Skulduggery knocked on the vast door and as it opened, China apparened. She was wearing a sky-blue dress with light blue high heels and a white scarf.  
"Well, hello handsome." She said with a wink and enjoying Valkyrie and Fletcher's expressions.  
"Can you do something about this?" Said Skulduggery lowering his head and shoving her the grooves.  
"I might." She smiled. This should be fun. She took Skulduggery by the collar and dragged him inside, shutting the door before Valkyrie and Fletcher entered. "You know I like my space." She laughed. Skulduggery nodded. Then China leaned forward and undid a few shirt buttons. Applying pressure to the tattoos a face ran up the skull. Skulduggery was a tiny bit confused. But he was quickly answered when China pusked him back into the wall and leaned against him.  
"So that's how you wanna play." He whispered. He rolled and had her pinned to the wall. Then leaning forward he kissed her. Keeping his lips pressed against hers, his hands moved down towards her waist and he lay her on the sofa. Back outside Fletcher and Valkyrie were peeking through the keyhole.  
"No...way." Valkyrie gently opened the door as not to disturb them and got a picture with her phone then shut the door again. Then, with Fletcher, she stared. Skulduggery and China were to caught up in each other to know. Finally coming up for air, Skulduggery panted.  
"Lord, help her if she sneaks in when we're doing something a little more...private."  
China laughed and pushed Skulduggery back. Pushing her tounge into his new mouth she kissed him again. Valkyrie just couldn't beleive it. She was even more shocked when Skulduggery leaned forwards and whispered.  
"I love you."


	2. A New Start For Him

**Okay, I just have something to say quickly. Take it away guys.**

**Valkyrie and Tanith: RiverLegend does not own Skulduggery Pleasent because if she did, Tanith would NOT be possesed by a Remnant and she would be married to Ghastly and dating that silly Saguine. And China wouldn't have killed Skulduggery family (they would have got killed in a bombing raid instead :3 ) and she would be Skulduggery's. **

**Skulduggery: Wait, WHAT?!**

**Ghastly: Well that made me wanna punch Saguine even more now. Shall we?**

**Skulduggery: It does feel like a face -punching day. Okay I'm in.**

**Valkyire: Men. Anyways please read on because something very strange has happened to Skulduggery and action is promised in the next chapter. :)**

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The next morning proved uneventful. She woke up in Skulduggery's house as usual, got changed and then Skulduggery drove them to Ghastly's. Ghastly was sat on the sofa with Tanith but Fletcher was no-where to be seen. She shrugged and opened the door with a ping. Tanith was asleep and Ghastly's eyes flickered open when they walked in.  
"How come everyone is so sleepy?" Valkyrie laughed. Hearing her voice, Tanith suddenly sprung up and hugged her so tight she might have crushed ribs. "Oww..Tanith, the ribs. Mind the ribs"  
"Hahaha, I know. And how about you Skulduggery? I heard you got a ass-kicking with that creature."  
Skulduggery just grumbled and as he walked past Tanith saw the deep grooves cut into his head.  
"They do not look nice."  
"I know, we went to China's yesterday but she said there was nothing she could do and it might atcually be best to go to Kenspeckle."  
"Ha! I wanna be there when you go there. I don't think he'll be too happy to see you!"  
"Well" Skulduggery cut in. "If you want I'll go and see him now if you guys wanna be entertained."  
"Ha ha! You are right Skulduggery, that would be exteremly entertaining! You up for it Ghastly?"  
Ghastly turned to face them.  
"I don't know..."  
"Come on, it'll be funny!"  
"If I can cut in here, I am glad you're finding my soon to be pain amusing." Skulduggery sighed.  
"Well that settles it, we're off to see Kenspeckle." Tanith and Valkyrie were smiling from ear to ear. As they all walked to the Bentley with Ghastly and Skulduggery walked on ahead, Valkyrie and Tanith walked on behind.  
"Hey." Tanith whispered.  
"What." Valkyrie hissed back.  
"Is it true you caught Skulduggery and China, you know making out?" With that Valkyire burst out laughing and Skulduggery whirled around.  
"Don't worry..." Valkyire managed to wheeze out the words through all of her laughing.  
"I'll tell you later." Valkyrie hissed. They got into the Bentley and drove to the Hibernation Cinema.  
OoOoO  
"DETECTIVE PLEASENT!" Kenspeckle Grouse roared. Skulduggery flinched slightly.  
"I...I was told to come here by ."  
"I have no interest what you and your girlfriend get up to behind closed doors," This remark made Valkyrie smile knowingly. "But China knows very well the grooves embedded in your skull, pose a dangerous threat to both your life and others." Skulduggery rubbed the back of his neck nervouslly. Had Kenspeckle found out about his and China's little encounter? Kenspeckle sighed.  
"Detective, may I talk to you privately for a second?" He sounded irritated. Skulduggery looked at Ghastly, Valkyrie and Tanith. They nodded and left the room. Outside Vlkyrie looked and Tanith,  
"Do you think Kenspeckle knows about Skulduggery and China's little fling?"  
"Wait, what?" The girls whirled around to see a horrorstruck Ghastly stood behind them. "Their what?!"  
"In short Skulduggery got busted snogging China. Case closed." Ghastly's eyes grew wider.  
"You want proof?" Valkyrie got out her phone and showed Ghastly the picture. That's when they heard him laugh. Hard. That's when they heard something else that was interesting.  
"Well detective, I think it could be done...but would you be willing to sacrafice all of this?"  
"Kenspeckle, China does mean a lot to me but does me changing permanantly mean I lose all of my powers?"  
"Most of them, you will still be able to use your basic elemental powers but you won't be able to use any of the powers you gained in the Faceless' One's realm, like flying. Oh, and you'll also keep Vile."  
Skulduggery sighed. "Okay, do it."  
"Now are you sure because once it's done, it's done. There's no turning back."  
"I am sure. Kenspeckle, do it."  
"All right..."  
Valkyrie looked at Ghastly and Tanith confused. But they didn't know that soon they would see what Skulduggery was talking about...  
OoOoOo  
A few hours later, Tanith had fallen asleep again on Ghastly when Skulduggery came back out of Kenspeckle's operating theatre. She was too tired to reilze the change until she focused and her vision became sharper.  
"Oh...My...God." Was all she could say. Shaking Tanith violently she woke up the both of them who, when they looked at Skulduggery, were also too shocked to speak.  
"Skulduggery you're a...you're a...normal person." Tanith managed to say. The new Skulduggery Pleasent stood in the door way still in his blue pinestrip suit, hat and tie, shirt and gloves. But he had a face,hair and body. His hair was short and jet-black. His eyes were a light green and his skin was slightly tanned.  
"You like?" Skulduggery smiled showing off his new white teeth.  
"Well...what made you think about changing? I mean weren't you happy with being a skeleton?"  
"I was Val but..." That's when he sighed. "I guess it's time to tell you about me and China."  
Valkyrie smiled. "We know." That's when she showed him the picture.  
"Hmm."  
"Wait, you mean you did all of this for her?"  
"Yes, Valkyrie. I knew we would never be able to be together if I was a skeleton and since Kenspeckle was telling me about the procedure, I agreeded. I did this for us as well. Me being human can allow me to do more when it comes to investigations, people may react differently to a hunky guy then a walking skeleton."  
"Well, that wasen't all lies." Came a voice from behind. Everyone whirled around to find China stood there wearing, to all of their shock, dark jeans, black leather jacket and purple converses.  
"Well your fashion sense had changed." Skuldggery smiled.  
"So have you."  
"Touche."  
"Back to my shop now I think, and China" China turned. "Your welcome to come along." She nodded politly. Then, holding on the Skulduggery's new muscular arm they all walked back to the Bently then drove back to 'Bespoke's Tailors'.

**I know this was a bit long but we have some Ghanith in the next chapter which may get a little 'hot under the collar' not M rating hot...just you know xD. Oh and there will be some punches, face and ass kicking and even some name calling. I spoil you. Now look down.**

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**You see that button down there..**

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**You REVIEW. And feel free to give me ideas, I don't bite. Well I might teehee :3**

**~River**


	3. Author's Note

By the Chapter title I'm guessing you might have guessed what this is about. My laptop has completely crashed so at the minute I don't have time or the software availble to write 'Skulduggery Pleasant: Love and Fire'. I have **NOT** abondoned the story. I **WILL** be continuing it. I just can't right now. Thank you for the support I have been getting but I just can't do it. I hope to have my laptop up and running again by September so I may continue it then.

Okay, people were saying that the Chinduggery moment in the first chapter was a bit...much. I will confirm now that is the most Chinduggery that will be in this story. Maybe the odd smooch, but no 'draping China across the sofa' thing. And yeah I may hurry the story on a bit. The next chapter will be Skulduggery's kidnap not forgetting that he is now human. :D But unfortunatly to all you people who love to see him tortured thats not gonna be until later. :3 and yes, the big guy himself... **Lord Vile WILL** be making an apperance. :)

**SHOUTOUTS TO:**

** + RealaCarsona - Were they happy tears or 'OMFG that was terrible' tears. :S But glad you enjoyed. it. :3**  
** + To all my guests that review. You are amazing :3**

Bless your face. If you sneezed whilst reading this bless you.  
~RiverLegend


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